Built 1839 NJRHP # 2470 Opened 1839 Phone +1 908-766-1616 | NRHP Reference # 74001190 Designated NJRHP October 24, 1974 Area 4,500 m² Added to NRHP 31 December 1974 | |
 | ||
Location 1 E. Oak Street, Basking Ridge, New Jersey Address 1 E Oak St, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, USA Architectural style Greek Revival architecture Similar Brick Academy, The Historical Society of, Tulipwood, Gen John Frelinghuysen House, Old Stone Arch Bridge | ||
Presbyterian Church in Basking Ridge is a historic church at 1 E. Oak Street in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. Its churchyard holds the Old Oak Tree of Basking Ridge, estimated to be 600 years old.
Contents
The church congregation was founded in 1717. The present church was built in 1839 in Greek Revival style.
Old Oak Tree
In the historical graveyard of the church stands a White Oak, sometimes called the "Holy Oak". It is 600 years old, possibly the oldest white oak in the world. It is nearly 100 feet (30 m) tall and has a spread of more than 130 feet (40 m). It has a trunk circumference of 20 feet (6.1 m) and its lower branches are supported.
English evangelist George Whitfield and American clergyman James Davenport, preached under the tree on November 5, 1740 to a crowd of 3,000, in the First Great Awakening.
George Washington's troops were drilled on the village green, within view, and Washington picnicked under the tree with the Marquis de LaFayette.
The 5,500 French troops of Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau marched by in 1781, on their route to Yorktown, Virginia and the decisive battle of the American Revolutionary War.
In June 2016, the tree was "failing to thrive" and showed signs of distress as its upper parts failed to sprout leaves.
By September 2016, the tree died.
The new biggest tree in New Jersey is identified as another white oak tree in the yard of the Sparta Historical Association of Sparta, New Jersey.
Church
The church building is 72 feet (22 m) by 46 feet (14 m), with a stone masonry foundation and red brick walls. The long side of the church has five windows 14 feet (4.3 m) tall and 5 feet (1.5 m) wide, with 30 over 30 over 30 glass panes in three sashes. As of 1974, much of the glass seemed to be original.
The Historic American Buildings Survey inventoried the church in 1939.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.